The present invention pertains to beverage dispensing apparatus for the preparation and dispensing of a beverage and, more particularly to a beverage dispensing apparatus for the preparation of a beverage from a powder concentrate and direct dispensing of a quantity of the beverage upon demand.
Beverage dispensing apparatus, characterized by having a powder flavorant hopper from which a certain amount of flavorant is mixed with a measured amount of water to form a single service of beverage to be directly dispensed upon demand, have been in use for years for hot beverages. One example of a hot beverage single service dispensing apparatus is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,266,670 in which a predetermined amount of water and powder flavorant are dispensed into a mixing chamber and then into a waiting receptacle. A similar operating device based upon demand is illustrated for hot coffee in U.S. Pat. No. 4,366,920. A significant advantage of such post mix apparatus is that it eliminates the need for storing large volumes of already made beverage within the apparatus.
Chilled or room temperature beverage dispensers that mix a powder flavorant with water and holding the same in a holding tank are also known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,488,664 issued to Robert K. Cleland describes a dispenser with a single serving station. The dispenser has a powder flavorant hopper with an auger metering element housed in a member that can be placed directly over a mixing chamber and a holding tank for a beverage. The holding tank is quite large since it is to be used to dispense multiple servings of drinks over an extended period of time. While this construction is suitable for an apparatus for the dispensing of a single beverage, it is not compatible for multiple beverage dispensing devices, particularly where size is a significant factor as multiple tanks of the size contemplated in the Patent would occupy a significant counter area. The holding tank in the Patent is provided with an agitating device in the form of a magnetic driven impeller on the bottom of the tank to facilitate dissolution of the powder flavorant into the water. After a substantial amount of beverage has been dispensed, a sensing element in the holding tank senses that the level of beverage has dropped to a certain predetermined minimum level and the auger is driven at a rate proportional to the water delivery rate from a local water supply. The Patent states that few modern water supplies are subject to any appreciable change so a water regulator may not be necessary to hold the pressure and thus the flow rate constant. This has not been the experience of applicants, however, as water pressures do fluctuate significantly enough to distort the taste of beverages and water regulators are typically needed. This is particularly true with respect to rural or overseas regions, elevated areas, or high structures.
For dispensing apparatus that serve multiple stations, each serving a different beverage, the flow rate of water is extremely important as small changes in the rate to the mixing area or chamber can dramatically alter the taste of the beverages delivered to the consumer. Studies have shown that consumers will quickly refrain from use of the dispenser once a poor quality drink has been dispensed. Moreover, the size consideration becomes important. While it is advantageous to use a powder flavorant post mix dispenser since it reduces the need to transport an already mixed volume of the beverage itself or syrup concentrate made from a powder flavorant to the dispensing apparatus and pour the same into the top thereof and all the concomitant hygiene problems associated with the handling of premixed beverages, the advantages thereof rapidly become less if significant quantities of the mixed beverage are required to be held within the apparatus as, for example, in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,488,664. This advantage is further destroyed if the apparatus is to serve multiple dispensing stations with like amount of different beverages.
It is therefore a paramount object of the present invention to provide for a dispensing apparatus capable of serving beverages at a plurality of beverage dispensing stations avoiding the fluctuations in water pressure from local water supplies. It is still another important object of the present invention to provide for a constant and consistent water flow rate to all water demanding components of the dispensing apparatus. It is still a further object of the present invention to provide for a dispensing apparatus that has a constant and consistent flow rate when beverages are being simultaneously dispensed at more than one serving station. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide for a dispensing apparatus in which the beverage dispensing rate is matched by the water flow rate to a mixing chamber where the beverage is mixed and the is moved to a holding tank for the beverage.